The Dawn
by ScribeoftheVirus
Summary: Three years after the end of the Hundred Year War, Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko begin spearheading their campaign to create a united new country in the Earth Kingdom. Not everyone in the world is excited at the prospect of peace, however. An old rival returns as a powerful foe, and the young world leaders are forced to decide their own roles in the future they create together.
1. Prologue: The Coming Winter

Hahn _hated_ him.

He hated that fool who played at being a leader. He hated all the humiliation he had suffered for the past three years on account of him. He hated the idea of taking orders from him and doing as he was told and "respecting" him.

But what he hated more was that all of his suffering was now for nothing.

That was the way it had always been with Hahn. He would endure anything if it meant he got what he wanted in the end. He would spend hours lifting heavy blocks of ice if it meant he would get bigger forearms. He would listen to past girlfriends drone on and on for hours if it meant he would be pleased by them later on. He would even marry the chief's boring daughter if it meant leading the entire tribe when the chief was finally gone. If all his work had been for nothing though, if an action he had taken didn't pay off, there was hell to pay.

And he would pay.

As he marched towards the healer's building with unadulterated fury in his eyes, he couldn't help but let loose the name of the man who had wronged him in a frustrated yell. Passers by watched in shock as one of their most respected warriors screamed aloud the chief's name without reason or preamble. But they didn't understand. He _had_ a reason. He had dozens of reasons, dozens of sacrifices he had made, and now regretted, and all of his hurt and shame could be blamed on a good number of people. No one, however, held as much of the blame as _he_ did. _He_ was the undoubted cause of all of it.

For years that so-called chief had been dangling all of his ambitions in front of him, teasing him like an owner would his pet. One moment he would have all the power and influence he could dream of and the next he would be just another dog, expected to do the master's will. It had been that way ever since Yue, and he was now finally realizing how things were going to be. He wouldn't be given anymore favors - now he would have to take what he wanted.

When he neared the entrance to the building, the two guards standing watch crossed their spears in front of the maroon curtain that served as the entrance. He was blocked.

"Get out of my way!" he shouted at them. He didn't care what the chief had decided. He was still the only one who gave orders to his men.

"We have been ordered to let no one pass," one of them said firmly.

Hahn might as well have been hit with a brick. Did this guard just refuse an order? "I said move!" he shouted, grabbing the guard's spear. When the guard refused to let go, Hahn shifted his weight and spun around, flinging him into the other guardsman.

As the two crashed together in a jumble of limbs and spears, he brushed aside the curtain and yelled the chief's name again.

"Arnook! I need to talk to you!"

When he barged in, he saw surprise on chief Arnook's face as he sat in the center of the room, bare chested while the healer hovered her hand above his heart. At his side, his wife gripped his hand with a similar expression. On the far side of the room however, there were an additional two people sitting on a bench there that he had not expected.

"Hahn," Sokka smiled teasingly, setting his tea down. "I can finally say without fear of rebuke that it's awful to see you."

"What are you doing here, savage?" Hahn snarled.

"That hurts my feelings," Sokka replied as sweetly as before. "Here I thought we were really close. Like brothers even."

"Hahn," Arnook interrupted with a knitted brow. "_Chief_ Hakoda and Sokka, his first-born heir, are our honored guests, here to invite us to the Summit of Nations. You will respect our southern brothers."

Hahn sneered. "You think after what you did to me that I'll do anything you say?"

"Just about as pleasant as I remember," Sokka chuckled.

"You stay out of this," Hahn snarled in response. "I'm here for Arnook, not you."

"And if Arnook may ask," the chief said, waving the healer away from him, "what is it that you want from me?"

As the healer stood to move out of the way, the room grew quiet. Sokka, content to watch Hahn as he was surely going to make things worse for himself, sat back and sipped his tea with a small smile. This would be good.

Hahn straightened himself, but retained the same maddened expression. "You _demoted_ me. Or did that action slip your disease-addled mind?"

Arnook sighed and squeezed his wife's hand. "I am well aware that I demoted you. You are no longer capable of leading the warriors."

Hahn's face reddened with contempt. "_No longer capable_?!" he shouted. "I've been leading our men for the past three years!"

"From what I saw, even that was too long," Hakoda said sternly from the bench. "Your men are divided." When Hahn answered with a crazed glare, Hakoda set his cup down and continued. "When my son and I arrived here today, we witnessed a brawl between five of your warriors that we had to break up ourselves. All the other warriors seemed perfectly happy to watch."

"I don't see how our training practices are any concern of yours," Hahn replied through a clenched jaw. Hahn knew about the fight, and it had been anything but a simple training exercise. For weeks, there had been infighting in the ranks between those who had grown tiered of waiting for the Fire Nation to betray them again and those who were cautiously hopeful with the so-called "new leadership" and strained peace. Hahn vehemently agreed with the former, and since it was usually those that felt the same who instigated the fights, he let them happen. Some people just needed a good beating.

But Hahn's excuse to Hakoda wasn't cutting it.

"I've been a warrior for nearly thirty years, boy," Hakoda returned. The disapproval was evident in his eyes. "I know the difference between sparring and fighting. Are you aware that two of the men from that little fiasco have internal bleeding? They might not survive. You will have two warriors who were literally beaten to death by their own comrades!"

"My men are my own business, southerner!"

"Not anymore!"

The sound of Arnook shouting shocked everyone in the room, even his wife. With anger distorting his features, he stared down Hahn and released his wife's hand. As he struggled to stand from his spot on the floor, Sokka stood and moved to help him, but Arnook waved him off before speaking again. "My demoting you was not a mistake. The incident this morning is the last straw, Hahn. Ever since the Siege of the North, you've harbored nothing but bitterness and contempt, even in this period of peace."

"If you believe this is peace, you are an even bigger fool than I thought!" Hahn shouted in reply. "The moment we let our guard down, that Fire Nation scum will burn us all! We need to strike first before he does."

"Watch it there, buddy," Sokka threatened. "That 'Fire Nation scum' is as good as my brother, not to mention one of the most influential men in the world."

"Which is exactly my point! Who decided that the Fire Nation should have any influence in the world at all after everything they've done?"

Hakoda, still speaking at a level, but firm volume, tried to reason with him. "As a nation, they've been nothing but helpful in all of the rebuilding efforts. The Fire Lord - "

"The Fire Lord is the enemy! If you and your fool son wish to stand with our esteemed chief with your backs turned to that dishonorable child who plays at being king, then so be it. As soon as it's up to me, you'll all die with him."

Sokka stepped towards him, his hand falling to the sword at his waist. "That's about all I'll take from you before I do something I'm sure I won't regret. Insult my family again, and they'll be the last words you ever say."

"You _dare_ threaten me?"

"Silence, Hahn!" Arnook shouted once again. "I've suffered long enough on account of you! You shame the men you claim to lead, seeking to plunge the world into even more war while it's trying to heal. I relieve you of your command. You are done."

"And who would lead them in my place?" Hahn shouted over him. "You? Do you believe they'll follow a dying old man? Or are you hoping that they'll follow your southern friends?"

"_I_ will be leading them."

Hahn whipped around to face the all-too-familiar voice of the man now standing in the doorway. With his short, black hair untidily falling in his face and imposing height overwhelming everyone in the room, the lanky man strode in confidently and regarded Hahn with his usual expression of disapproval. Hahn's eyes narrowed with hostility. "Chogan."

"The guards you assaulted are fine, by the way," the man called Chogan said, gesturing towards the entrance as the two men rushed in to stand beside him.

"You assaulted my guards?"Arnook exclaimed.

"What do you mean, 'you'll be leading them?'" Hahn asked, ignoring the chief. "I'm their commander!"

"You knew this was coming Hahn," Chogan said calmly. "You brought this on yourself. I've been warning you for years that your warmongering would be your downfall."

"I don't need your lectures, _brother_," Hahn snarled.

Sadness replaced the calm in Chogan's eyes. "What has happened to you?" he asked Hahn with pity. "Ever since father died - "

"I don't care what you think of me!" He turned back to the chief. "If you think my week-minded brother will command more loyalty then I will, then I shouldn't waste any more of my time with you." Hahn clutched at the sleeve of his tunic where the tribe's symbol was embroidered and tore it off. "If you want me gone, then you'll get your wish, chief. I'm taking whatever troops that are still loyal to me and I'm leaving."

"You are aware such an act is treason, brother," Chogan said, the hurt evident in his eyes. Typical Chogan. "You and any who follow you will be labeled deserters. You will never be aloud to return under penalty of execution."

Slowly, Hahn turned back to his brother with his lips curled in a hateful sneer. "So be it." Chogan lowered his eyes, unwilling to look Hahn in the eye again without feeling heartbreak. Hahn merely continued to glare at him. "Father always _hated_ how soft you were. I don't know if you ever knew this, but he once told me that he wished _I_ had been the first-born. He wished that you were never his son."

Chogan, regaining his fire, returned Hahn's baleful glare with one of his own. "You shame yourself, Hahn."

"Oh, but it's true. Do you honestly think you made him happy with all your talk about books and science and love?" he mocked. "You're not a warrior. You don't even know how to fight!"

"Hahn!" Arnook challenged. "That is enough!"

But Hahn continued. "What kind of man are you? You were a disappointment to him. He hated you!"

"I will not have you accuse our father this way!"

"Why do you think he offered me to the white-haired bitch and not you?"

Before Sokka could even unsheathe his sword, a wild cry of rage escaped Arnook's mouth. The moment Hahn turned in response to the sound, Arnook's fist collided with his jaw resulting in the gut-wrenching _CRACK_ of broken bone.

Hahn cradled the side of his face with a mix of pain and complete awe. The chief had just punched him. The dying old man with no more fighting experience than his older brother had punched him… and had broken bone. That fact alone would've been enough to shut Hahn's mouth for a little while - mainly because his jaw was fractured - but Arnook was far from finished with him. He swung again, hitting Hahn's unguarded nose and snapping it. Hahn tried to brace himself for the next attack, but Arnook switched tactics and delivered a blow with his other hand to Hahn's gut.

Hahn doubled over, trying desperately to catch his breath. Before Arnook could bring his knee up to Hahn's face in another fury-filled blow, Chogan and Hakoda grabbed his arms and dragged him back. Sokka, feeling oddly satisfied in watching his first love's father beat up her former fiancé, raised his sword under Hahn's chin and left it there until Hahn met his glare.

"I think it's time you left, don't you?" Sokka teased.

Hahn's exhaustion morphed into rage as he nursed his crooked and bleeding nose. "I _hate_ you," he muttered, immediately regretting talking at all as bolts of pain shot across his face, radiating from his jaw.

"I know," Sokka said casually, slightly enjoying the wince Hahn gave after he made the statement. "I'm pretty sure everyone in this room feels some level of the same for you."

As Hahn worked his way to his feet with Sokka's sword following him under the chin, he glared over to where the chief still stood, fighting against Chogan and Hakoda's restraining arms. Grunting against the pain, he spoke again. "I'll be back for you," he threatened. The point of Sokka's sword pressed ever so slightly into his neck, drawing forth a bead of red. Hahn glanced down as the blood saturated the fabric of his shirt. He chuckled painfully and turned to Sokka who regarded him with contempt. "As for you, swordsman," he continued, feeling accomplished in having provoked him, "deliver a message to the Avatar and Fire Lord for me. Tell them that there will never be peace as long as the Fire Nation goes unpunished. Tell them that I will see to it that justice is served."

"Get out of here before I finish what he started," Sokka snarled, gesturing with his head to where the chief stood behind him.

"Guards, escort this disgrace to the barracks and see to it that he collects his things," Arnook said, now holding on to Chogan and Hakoda firmly as he felt his body grow weak again. "Any others who wish to follow are free to do so under penalty of banishment. See to it that they are escorted out of the city."

Before the guards could grab hold of Hahn, Sokka held up his free hand to stop them. He stepped forward, pressing the sword deeper into Hahn's flesh and forcing him to back up towards the exit. "If I hear of you threatening my father or any of my family - including the chief - ever again," Sokka said, his voice growing quieter as he drew closer to Hahn's face, "I will end you."

For a brief moment, fear flashed in Hahn's eyes, but it vanished almost instantly. Without another word, he backed away from Sokka and towards the waiting guards. Sokka watched him and his armed escort go with his sword still raised in the air. He wasn't proud of the threat, but it had felt good, and Hahn had taken him seriously. He would think twice about ever attacking while Sokka was around.

A shrill gasp brought him back to the hut. He turned and saw Arnook, limp in Chogan and his father's arms as they gently lowered him to the floor.

"What happened?" he asked rushing over. "Is he alright?"

"He fainted," the healer responded after hurrying to his side and raising her hand to Arnook's forehead. "The excitement was not good for him. He needs time to rest. I'm sorry, but I would ask you all to wait outside for now."

Sokka, Chogan, and Hakoda exchanged worried glances before standing. They nodded to the chief's wife, who regarded them with gratitude, then left.

"Some of the men won't take kindly to this," Chogan said quietly once they were outside. "The majority of them want peace, but the ones who will follow Hahn will leave us with significantly lower numbers."

"An army that can't function together is no army at all," Hakoda said firmly. "You're better off without them, Chogan."

"Sir, if they were to find even a few people who believe as they do, we could be in very real danger," Chogan worried. "It isn't like we can pull more warriors from the wilderness. They could go to the Earth Kingdom… find rebels or anarchists or -"

"Chogan," Hakoda interrupted, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You'll be alright. You'll have the Southern Tribe's support."

After a few moments, Sokka added, "I doubt Aang and Zuko will take this news lightly. They'll make sure you're prepared for any attack you might face." Chogan's eyes lit hopefully. "Once they hear about this, they'll provide back-up."

The thought of just a dozen Fire Navy ships accompanied by the Avatar sounded like a great idea to him. After thinking about the poor timing of it all, however, Chogan's hope faded slightly. "It'll take them a while to actually hear about it though."

Sokka nodded solemnly. "Yeah, but better late than never."

Something in Sokka's tone set off alarm bells in his head. "Are you alright Sokka?" Chogan asked after a moment. "You were pretty angry in there."

"I'm fine," he answered, looking away. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"It's about you and Yue, isn't it?" Arnook said, staggering from behind the curtain, leaning on his wife. Chogan rushed to help them. "I remember, Sokka. You and Yue were close."

Hakoda looked upon his son with widened eyes. Sokka looked away, pained at the memory.

"Son, I never knew..."

"I'm sorry you had to bare Hahn's insult like I did," Arnook said softly. "I can tell you cared for her deeply. You deserved better."

"So did she," Sokka replied. "We should probably head to the barracks," he continued stiffly, wanting to move away from the subject. "Who knows what Hahn said to the men there."

"...You're right," Hakoda said after a moment. "We should head there to oversee Hahn's escort."

"The two of you go on ahead," Arnook said, waving off Hakoda and Sokka. "I must speak to Chogan alone."

Hakoda and Sokka nodded in consent and left towards the barracks.

After a few moments of silence walking down the streets, Hakoda finally burst. "You never told me that you and the Princess were together," he said as they walked.

"It's not something I like to remember," Sokka replied. "She was... the bravest and most dedicated person I've ever known. Besides Katara, that is. And then, she was gone."

"She gave her life to the moon spirit, I'm told."

"No, it's more than that. She_ is_ the moon spirit. Aang has actually _seen_ her in her spirit form." Sokka hadn't realized he had stopped walking. "Being back here… it all feels like it happened yesterday. It's all still fresh.

"I'm not hung up on her or anything like that. I just wish I had been strong enough to save her, you know? I wish I could've given her the chance to live, and I wish she could've lived her life for herself. Since she was a child, she lived for everyone else, for the demands of her people, and she died that way too."

"There was nothing you could've done, son."

"I know. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how much stronger she was than I am. She didn't _have_ to marry Hahn - she certainly didn't want to - but she was going to anyway. Because it was her duty. If it were me who was betrothed to someone I didn't love, I'd say screw it, and leave. But even with how much she cared for me, her people were what really mattered." He looked away with a bittersweet smile. "I think that even if I could've saved her, she wouldn't have let me." He paused. "The world is a lesser place without her."

Hakoda gripped his son's shoulder affectionately. It killed him to see Sokka in pain over the loss of someone he had cared so deeply for. The last time he had seen that look in his eyes was when Kya died. He could still remember looking up from his wife's body and seeing Sokka and Katara standing there in the doorway with terrified tears before rushing over to them and holding them tighter then he ever had, as if trying to protect them from the pain.

Back then, there had been confusion and uncertainty mixed in with the hurt. As he looked upon Sokka now however, there was an admirable maturity and understanding within him that Hakoda couldn't help but be proud of. It was yet another example of how much of a man Sokka had become, and it was another reminder of just how proud he was of his son.

Restraining the strong urge to pull Sokka into a choking hug, Hakoda smiled softly. "But the world still has you, Sokka," he said. "You honor her memory. And I know the chief feels the same way."

"Actually, the less people who know that I honor her memory, the better."

Hakoda was surprised at first, but then he understood. "Because of her betrothal to Hahn."

Sokka nodded. "If people knew she was seeing me behind Hahn's back, it would ruin her reputation, even in death. I don't know why, but somehow that seems worse than if people had found out while she was still… around. Just another reason I don't like coming here."

Hakoda wrapped an arm around Sokka's shoulders and they started to walk again. "We'll be on our way soon," he said. "As soon Arnook chooses a representative to come to the summit with us, we can go."

"I wonder who he'll pick," Sokka said, grateful for his father's reassurance.

"He picked me."

Sokka and Hakoda turned to see Chogan running towards them.

"Do you have a thing for undeclared entrances or something?" Sokka asked.

"He picked you?" Hakoda asked, the surprise evident in his voice. "Shouldn't you be staying here? Especially now that we have a potential enemy wanting revenge?"

"I tried to reason with him, but he kept saying that I was the only man he had even considered," Chogan explained. "After Hahn leaves, he wants me to appoint lieutenants to mobilize and train the warriors we have left." He ran a worried hand through his hair. "Hopefully I'll be back before Hahn decides to make a move."

"A week and half to get there, a few days of debating, and a week and a half back," Hakoda mused. "I'd say that gives him plenty of time to strike."

"If I know Zuko, which I do, he'll send reinforcements the moment as he gets word of the situation," Sokka said, the solution forming in his head. "Thanks to Toph and her undying capacity to forgive, I have the perfect way to get a message to him."

Just as Chogan opened his mouth to ask, shouting erupted from the barracks. The three of them quickly exchanged glances before braking out into a run towards the commotion. When they arrived just outside the entrance of the giant ice-walled building that was the barracks, they weren't at all surprised to find a significant amount of young warriors rallied around Hahn. All of them were shouting at the substantially larger group of remaining warriors, carefully in the process of ushering them away from the building. Before anything could escalate further, Chogan stepped forward, exuding all the confidence he had in him.

"Enough!" he shouted. The courtyard quieted immediately, though it was more from surprise then obedience. "If you want to shout, do it outside the city gates."

"And who are you to order us away?" one of the younger soldiers yelled. "Hahn is our leader, not you!" With that, the other men gathered around Hahn erupted into roars of agreement. With fists raised in the air and tension literally sparking the air, Sokka started to think it would actually come to blows. But Chogan didn't even blink. Sokka was pleasantly surprised at how cool he was being. Perhaps he would be just the kind of leader the Northern Tribe needed.

"If you wish to follow him, then you are welcome to. In exile," Chogan replied. "Hahn has been ordered to leave the city by the chief." Interestingly enough, some of the young men paused at this. "Or did your honorable leader tell you that _I_ did that?"

The silence that followed Chogan's question was one of the more uncomfortable ones Sokka had ever experienced. _Then again, nothing quite shakes your faith in a leader than them lying to you,_ he thought. _For all of Hahn's confidence, he's not fit for leadership. In fact, his attempting to lead these men is proving to be his own downfall._

"Enough of this foolishness," Chogan said, waving his hand in dismissal. "Escort Hahn and any who still care to follow out of the city. Now."

Without even a second glance at Chogan, a few men stepped towards Hahn and his companions, ready to carry out the orders. With uncertain and wary eyes, nearly half of the young men slowly stepped away from Hahn's group and walked to stand with the other warriors by the barracks.

Suddenly enraged by their abandonment, Hahn shouted, "You traitors will die with the rest of them!" Two warriors grabbed his arms when he stopped moving towards the gate with the others. He ignored the searing pain in his nose and jaw as he continued his outburst. "You'll all regret this! I swear it!"

Sokka, Hakoda, and the other warriors watched Hahn and his men until they reached the gate canals. The group of less than forty men boarded a small skiff and left out into sea. They watched until the boat disappeared into the horizon. Chogan however, had turned away as his brother left, unable to watch his only remaining family depart with such hatred.

"I'm sorry Chogan," Sokka said, his hand going to Chogan's shoulder for comfort.

"Don't be," he replied, shrugging off Sokka's hand. "It had to be this way." Glancing at Sokka and seeing the pity in his eyes, Chogan suddenly wanted to talk about anything else. "You were saying something about getting a message to the Fire Lord?"

Sokka perked up. "Oh yeah! Come on, he's in our room."

"'He?'" Chogan asked, following Sokka as he started off towards his guest house. "Who's 'he'?"

"An old friend I made in the Fire Nation during the war," Sokka laughed.

When they arrived at the quaint little building, Sokka ran in and ran out again, holding a regal looking bird with dark red wings perched on his arm.

"Chogan, meet Hawky. Hawky here can take our message to Zuko and be there in a few days," he explained. "With any luck, we might just run into whatever reinforcements he decides to send on our way to him. We'll be able to brief them on Hahn and whole situation. The Northern Water Tribe will be ready for him if he comes back."

Chogan eyed the bird hesitantly. "Are you sure this will work?" he asked.

"Trust me. Hawky once delivered a message from the Fire Nation all the way to the opposite side of the Earth Kingdom. Of course," he continued, "Hawky never did come back after that. But that was because the Beifong family made him really comfortable," he quickly added with false smile.

"So he's a lazy messenger hawk then."

Sokka's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Hey buddy, right now, he's all we've got," Sokka said defensively. "Deal with it."

Chogan held up his hands, resigning to say anymore about it. He followed Sokka into the house and watched him write the letter. After he was finished, he rolled it up and slipped it into the tube on the hawk's leg.

"Alight, that'll about do it," Sokka said. "Now Hawky, I need you to take this to Fire Lord Zuko in the Fire Nation. He'll be the one sitting on the big chair in the enormous palace, alright?" The bird squaked in response. "Good. It's also really important, so go as fast as you can." He walked to the door and raised his arm. In one graceful leap, the bird launched himself from Sokka and into the air.

"You should start packing, Chogan," Sokka said, still watching his faithful friend flying off into the distance. "We leave as soon as you're ready."

"I'll be speaking on behalf of my entire culture," Chogan voiced fearfully. "I'll be the lone voice of thousands of people. How does someone ever 'get ready' for that?"

"You know, Zuko told me something once," Sokka said. "He said that he gets terrified every time he has to actually be the Fire Lord. Normally, he's just Zuko to his friends and family, but when duty calls he puts his hair up and gets right to it. He's terrified because deep down, he's still a sixteen-year-old kid who struggles with himself sometimes. He's scared because he thinks that he won't be able to make the right decision. He was afraid at Yu Dao, especially because he was partly following the advice of his father.

"But even then, he did the right thing," Sokka said with a small smile. "He might take a little while, and he might need some guidance now and then, but no matter how confused or messed up he feels, he always does the right thing. All he has to do is trust in himself." He looked over at Chogan with appraising eyes. "After what I saw from you today, I can't see how you would be any different. Trust your instincts, Chogan. You'll be a great leader. You were born a great leader."

With that, Sokka retreated back into his house, leaving Chogan with his thoughts. Slowly, he made his way through the streets towards his family home. As he walked, it slowly began to dawn on him that he was now completely alone. His mother and father were both long dead and his brother was now an outcast. At that last thought, he let out a small chuckle. How the tables have turned.

Before he realized it, he was standing at his own front door. The house itself wasn't anything extravagant enough to stare at, but it was better than the near hut-sized homes in the lower city. As he walked inside, he could feel his father and brother's echoes in the walls. Though neither he nor Hahn had been inside the house in years, it looked just as it had when Chogan had first left. He had been fed up with his father's constant berating, and finally, he just picked up and moved to the barracks where he served as a tactician.

Having not been trained as a physical warrior and not possessing the skill of waterbending, he wasn't paid much attention to at first. His lust for knowledge had proven to be useful for him however, when the chief needed battle plans. He had been the coordinator of several devastating attacks during the Siege when the Avatar was there, and if it hadn't been for him, the warriors would have been too disorganized to fend off the Fire Nation at all, but not many people cared. He was there when they needed him, and they treated him like a bag of meat when he wasn't.

But that had always been his life. He never fit in with the warriors or the hunters. He had always been different. He could still remember the first day his father had taken Hahn out on a hunting trip. He could still remember the words his father had said.

_"How come you never take me out hunting?" a ten-year-old Chogan asked his father as he and Hahn, only six, gathered their gear._

_"Don't be stupid, Chogan," his father scolded. "You can barely throw a spear two feet!"_

_"I can too!"_

_Brushing his scrawny body aside with a gloved hand, his father headed towards the door. "Go and read one of your mother's books or something. We'll be back in a few days."_

As he remembered his father's disappointed glare as he and Hahn had left the hut all those years ago, he knew that Hahn was right about how his father had felt. Chogan, even though he was the first born, never had the strength of a fighter. He had never had the build of one, being the tall and lanky man he was now. He was always more interested in knowledge then fighting, always more inclined to make genuine friends then just simple allies.

And suddenly, Sokka's words to him struck a chord. It was in another memory, one much better than the other. He had been a teenager, almost a man, and four of his closest friends all sat with him in his room, hot drinks warming them up, laughing about some private joke. Hahn burst in, livid in his pre-teen, muscular glory.

_"You weren't at father's lesson today, Chogan," he said with a scowl._

_"I was busy," Chogan dismissed. "I didn't feel like going."_

_"He isn't happy. Why can't you just do what your told?"_

_"Why?" asked Inna, his beautiful, curly-haired best friend. "So he can be a smart-mouthed daddy's boy like you?"_

_"Was I talking to you?" Hahn challenged._

_"Hahn, you don't talk_ to_ anyone," his friend Kohran said with a deep-throated chuckle. "You talk_ at_ them."_

_"Wasn't father's lesson on leadership today?" Chogan asked mockingly. "I don't see you_ inspiring _ any of us." The others laughed._

_"You won't be laughing when I'm leading this city's warriors," Hahn hollowly threatened._

_His friend Darrow tossed his hair back. "Yeah," he said with a teasing smile, "we're trembling over here."_

_Hahn stormed out, his face red with embarrassment and anger. They all laughed when he was gone._

_"When Kohran, Darrow, and I graduate in a year, we're going to make that little recruit's life a living hell," Gana, said, cracking the knuckles on his large hands._

_"I'd like to say the same, but as soon as my dad tries to marry me off to some meat-head, I'll happily be skipping out of this place," Inna said with a confident smile._

_Darrow gave her a teasing pout. "Aww, come on, there must be at least one meat-head you like."_

_When he tried to lean in, she waved her hand and bent his drink splashing onto his face. "Meat-heads aren't my type," she laughed with the others. "Now if Cho were leading things around here, I might just consider sticking around."_

_"I'll drink to that," Gana laughed, slapping Chogan on his back. If he hadn't already been used to the impacts, his shoulder blade might've cracked._

_"Yeah, I'll be leader when the gate melts," Chogan laughed._

_To his surprise, the others only regarded him with pleased smiles. He had realized then that Inna hadn't really been joking… and that everyone else there felt the same._

_"I'm not going to be chief guys," Chogan said._

_Darrow shrugged, his face sticky and wet still. "You could be. The chief's daughter needs a husband eventually. He has been talking to your father an awful lot."_

_Chogan looked down at his drink. "He's been talking to the chief about my brother," he replied quietly. "He doesn't want me to be chief."_

_"If you ask me, it sounds a little like your father is stuck in the past," Kohran said. "Muscles don't make the man, Cho."_

_"And Arnook is a smart guy," Inna said with a soft smile. "You're a great leader, and you don't even need to try. He'll see it eventually."_

_Chogan couldn't help the flattered blush their praise brought to his face. "You guys really think so?"_

_"Hey, you brought all of us together," Darrow said with a laugh. "You think our blue-eyed beauty over here would've been able to stand me without you to referee?" Inna bent Darrow's drink again. Blinking the liquid from his eyes, he continued, "See what I mean?"_

_"We'd follow you anywhere, Chogan," Gana said warmly. "You know more about inspiring loyalty then your father or brother ever will."_

_"To Chogan!" Kohran exclaimed, raising his cup. The others followed suit with smiles. "Our fearless paragon and our best friend."_

Chogan returned to his house with a humbled smile. Sokka had been right. He was born to do this. An overwhelming sense of destiny overcame him, making his body shutter. He was still terrified, but he embraced it, finally proud to be uncertain. Tears rolled down his face as he realized that everything he felt - his fear, his pain, his loss - it all made him who he was, and for the first time in a very long time, he was proud to be himself.

"I hope you're not planning on leaving without us."

Chogan turned with a knowing and warm smile to find the same four friends who had been with him all those years ago standing in the doorway. With travel gear slung over their shoulders, they all returned his affectionate smile. Inna, who had spoken, stood with her hands on her hips, her beautiful smile beaming at him from behind her long curls. Gana stood as built and boisterous as ever, with laughter and pride behind his dark blue eyes. Darrow, his outgrown hair covering half of his sickeningly handsome face, appraised Chogan with an icy-blue expression that said, "It's about damn time." And finally, Kohran, his true brother, gazed back at him with more loyalty and admiration then Chogan could even understand. Before he could stop himself, he walked over to them all and hugged them. He, of course, towered over everyone.

"Finally, I can say that it's fitting for you to be taller than me," Inna laughed.

"We know you're leaving for the summit," Kohran said as they broke apart. "We're coming too."

"I wouldn't ask you to - "

"Relax, beanpole," Darrow said. "None of us really belong here anyway. You need people who have your back out there."

Gana chuckled. "Yeah and we're the perfect little body guards."

Chogan's smile, which hadn't left his face, grew wider. "I can't tell you guys what this means to me."

"You're our leader Cho," Inna said. "We called it before anyone else did."

"Alright you saps, enough with all the affection and stuff," Darrow said, breaking away from their circle and picking up his gear where he had dropped it. "Let's get this show on the road."


	2. The Spirit

**A/N: I know this chapter is going to put off a few people, which is one of the reasons it took so long. I apologize, but this is the way I wanted to take the story. I hope you enjoy.**

"Happy birthday, Aang."

He beamed up at the cool, autumn night sky as the first falling star of the night flashed before their eyes. Slowly and steadily, more meteors followed, increasing in speed and numbers until the sky was littered with brilliant streaks of light.

Aang and Katara sat on the roof of the tallest spire in the Southern Air Temple, gazing up at the fantastic cosmic light show above them. After nearly a year of restoration and care, Aang and the acolytes had managed to breathe life back into the shell of the old temple. Just as Aang had remembered, the temple was once again bursting with culture and spirit, with repaired walls and replaced tiles. He had declared their work finished just that afternoon, causing an eruption of cheers from his followers. Below them, the music from their celebration beat on with a joyful melody.

Katara subtly switched her gaze from the stars to the young man sitting next to her. As he gazed up into the night with a captivating smile, she couldn't help the blush that came to her cheeks. He was not the same boy she found in the ice all those years ago. Then again, he hadn't been for a long time. As the years passed, Aang had grown in nearly every way a person could. He was taller - to his great pleasure - and stronger, and his face was starting to take the angular shape of a man's.

He was wiser and much more patient, despite his still-adolescent mind. His care for the world and the work that he did had evolved into a love so strong, it practically radiated from his body. His reluctance and uncertainty as a child had paved the way for the confidence and enthusiasm he exuded now as a man. She had practically watched him discover how proud he truly was to be the Avatar, and how humbled he was that a kid like him had the power to make a difference in a world that believed in him.

But none of those changes made him unrecognizable. He was still lean - his muscles were toned, but not exaggerated. The boyish smile that was his signature was stamped across his face daily, and the twinkle in his eyes that she always laughed at was present in everything he did. He still doubted himself, still questioned expectations - both his own and those of the world - and he still made mistakes that he wasn't proud of, but his spirit never withered. His undying belief in humanity never faltered, despite all of the horrible things he had seen people do to each other. In everyone, he saw the good within, and his unique approach - among Avatars at least - to solving any problem without bloodshed had become his standard, his signature even.

All the changes, all the constants, all the virtues, and all the faults that were uniquely his, only made her love him more. She had surprised herself in realizing how easy it was to love Aang. After only a few hours of finally giving in to each other, they had fallen into their relationship as if they had been doing it all along. It had been as simple as breathing, as if she had done it a hundred times in a hundred different lifetimes.

But just like breathing, loving Aang wasn't just a desire. It was a necessity. Aang was no different when it came to her. They started to find that whenever either of them wasn't close by, they would begin to panic, feeling as if a crucial part of them was missing. She would tell herself that she was being clingy and he would say that he was smothering her, but neither of them would think that when they were reunited. When they were in each other's arms, the only thing they wanted was for the other to hold them tighter.

In reality, her "dependence", as the logical part of her would call it, concerned her. She was worried about it's intensity, scared of losing herself to it. What would she do if, or if she was completely honest with the fact she was in love with the Avatar, _when_ Aang had to go away and she couldn't go with him? What would she do if Aang was killed? A shutter ran through her at the thought of it, feeling the ghost of anguish that had wracked her soul when she had witnessed Aang's limp and smoking form falling from the air under the city of Ba Sing Se.

And yet, as she sat next to him, gazing into the wondrous grey eyes she had come to love so passionately, she knew that dealing the complete anguish of being in love was something she was more than willing to do for him. He deserved everything she could give, and the fact that he never asked for any of it made him deserve it more.

At last, he returned her tender gaze with one of his own. The beautiful cerulean eyes that had always enchanted him shone with such an obvious affection that it made his heart pound. Suddenly he couldn't help himself. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a loving kiss.

When both of them started to struggle with kissing and smiling at the same time, the contact gave way to giggling. Satisfied with her smile, Aang wrapped his arms around her and turned his attention back to the stars.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had," he said softly. She leaned into his side and gazed up with him.

"I'm glad," she sighed, content to hear him happy.

"And just think," he continued, almost bouncing with excitement, "the whole gang will be back together in just a few days!"

Katara laughed. "So the summit and the wedding don't factor into your joy?"

"Well, yeah those are great too," he said. As he thought about the wedding they would be attending in a few days, his smile faded. "I'm definitely not looking forward to speaking at the ceremony though."

"Aang, you're the Avatar, and Zuko's best man," she laughed. "You'll have to speak sometime."

"I guess you're right," he said. Seeing an opportunity to make her laugh again, he added, "Sure I can't just mumble something about love and call it a day?"

"I don't think so," she smiled. Not quite a laugh. He tried again.

"Maybe I could dress Appa in some nice robes and have _him_ stand up there with Zuko?"

"Nope." Still not a laugh.

"You could tell everyone I got sick on the way and had to stay inside."

"As much as I love you, I'm not covering for you." Almost there.

"Well, you could always just 'be sick' with me," he finished with a comical wiggle of his eyebrows. Finally, she laughed at his terrible innuendo. The sound lit up the night more than the stars did.

"As tempting as that sounds," Katara smiled, "I miss our friends too. You're going to speak at their wedding and you're going to do a great job." She squeezed him tighter. "You always do."

Feeling a little more confident after Katara's affirmation, he let himself relax. It wasn't hard to when she was leaning into him wearing the most tranquil smile he had ever seen. Things were always so right when she was around. Even if she was mad, there was no one else he would ever want yelling at him. They complimented each other perfectly, made each other better. They fed off each other and grew from each other. Aang couldn't think of a better type of relationship for the Avatar: balanced.

As far as his friends had been concerned, however, not all of their relationships had been so happy.

"Funny how things turn out in the end, huh?" he mused.

She sighed in response. "You said it. I certainly didn't see it coming."

"I feel bad for Sokka," he said quietly. "He hasn't exactly been lucky in love."

"I feel bad for Mai," Katara responded. "I know she wasn't completely our friend, but Zuko isn't the easiest man to love, and she had been doing that longer than any of us."

"Besides his uncle, of course."

"Right, besides him. But Iroh loves pretty much everyone. With two or three exceptions, I think."

"No, I think he just loves everybody," Aang smiled.

"I miss him," Katara sighed. "I miss them all. We've been away from our family for too long."

"Soon, sweetheart," he assured, holding her tighter. "We'll be with them again soon."

A booming roar tore their gazes from the sky. Swirling the air around them, Appa came into view, flying from the temple floor below them. On his back was one of the male acolytes wearing a cautious smile as he shouted, "Master!"

"Hey Chen!" Aang called back happily. Looking at his most advanced pupil, he couldn't help but smile. Chen had come from a severely depressed village in the Earth Kingdom that never fully recovered from the Fire Nation occupation. Surprisingly, it hadn't been the take over that had hurt them, but rather it had been the withdrawal. When the army had been in the town, it was used as a trading hub, bringing merchants and trade smiths of all kinds. Once the war ended and the troops retreated home, the village fell into decline, and was eventually abandoned.

Not having anyone to turn to, as he had been an orphan, Chen found his way to Ba Sing Se and turned to a life of thieving to survive. His developing skills gained the attention of a street gang which he eventually joined.

As an initiation, he was told to steal something that would bring prestige and infamy to the gang. He decided that the "something" would be Katara's famous necklace. While her and Aang were attending a party, he disguised himself as a nobleman and tried to slip the necklace off during a dance. He failed of course - Katara had felt his hand on the back if her neck and promptly proceeded to freeze him to the ceiling - but rather than have him arrested, Aang had asked him to come and start a new life as an acolyte at the Southern Air Temple.

Chen refused his offer, stating that he would rather die then live with an Avatar that had left him and his village behind. Ironically, when he returned to the hideout, he was told that since he failed, he wasn't an official member, and because he knew secrets about the gang, they couldn't let him leave alive.

Luckily, Aang and Katara had followed him and saved him in time. He reluctantly consented into going to the Air Temple with them,but refused to follow Aang's teachings. Aang left him alone to his thoughts for two months before Chen finally ventured out of his room and began to sit in on the acolyte lessons. As time passed, he became more and more receptive of the things he was inadvertently learning. Before long, he adopted air acolyte clothing and shaved his long head of hair and tentatively started over.

Aang had proudly witnessed him become a man of value to himself. As he dove more and more into the beliefs and teachings of the acolytes, the more he enjoyed it. He soaked everything in and eventually became a teacher himself.

"Master," he said again, not at all bothered to call a teenager ten years younger than him his master. "We think we might've found something."

"'Found something?'" Aang chuckled. "You can't be any more specific than that?"

Chen smiled. "We thought you might want to see this one for yourself. Hop on."

Aang and Katara stood and climbed up onto the saddle. Aang didn't take his usual spot on Appa's head where Chen was. It hadn't been the first time his best student had directed Appa, and Appa didn't mind in the slightest. They took off towards the rocky base of the temple where the mountain face was littered with caves where bison used to live. In front of one of these caves was a group of three other acolytes all staring into the dark entrance. Chen landed right beside them.

"Have they come out?" Chen asked the other acolytes as he slid off Appa.

"No, they're still a little afraid of us," one of them replied, laying bundles of hay and moon peaches at the front of the cave.

"Who's still afraid of you?" Aang asked. "What are you doing?"

"Why are we down here, Chen?" Katara asked in turn.

Chen smiled back at them. "We don't really have a lot of experience with them, considering we weren't around a hundred years ago like SOME people," he said. "We thought you might know what to do about them."

Aang was about to ask who "them" was, when the words got lost in his throat. Peaking out of the darkness of the cave, just barely visible to them, was the melon sized head of a baby sky bison. It stayed as low to the ground as possible as it shuffled its tiny six feet across the ground. Its goal was clearly the food the acolytes had laid out in front of it, but as it moved, it eyed them cautiously. The calf was obviously scared of them, but the hunger in its eyes outweighed the fear.

The world around Aang disappeared. He stood there completely dumbfounded as he gazed at the remarkable survivor looking out at him. He was vaguely aware of Katara taking hold of his arm in shocked elation. Tears began to fall as the bison sucked down a peach. Appa was _not_ the last sky bison. The species would not die with him.

The only thing that broke him from his enraptured trance was the tentative cry of a baby calf. He and Katara gasped when they realized that the one continuing to eat in front of them had not been the one to make the sound.

He turned, his eyes and cheeks glistening with moisture. "Them?" he whispered. Chen nodded with a warm smile. Katara let go of him as he slowly approached the cave. After a few steps, the calf froze, halfway to another peach. It eyed Aang's similarly still form for a painfully long moment before it cautiously resumed to eat, its eyes not leaving Aang's. When Aang was only a few steps away, the calf stopped again, and backed away from the food with a cry, shrinking slightly back into the darkness. Its cry was echoed by a few other disembodied ones from within.

"No, don't run away," Aang managed to say, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm very happy to see you, little guy." He knelt lower to the ground, making himself smaller. "It's been a very long time since I've seen someone like you. My best friend Appa is a little older than you."

Behind him, Appa let out a roar that sounded both amused and captivated. Looking up at the much larger bison, the calf started inching towards the light ever-so-slightly. Aang bent a gust that blew one of the moon peaches closer to him. He picked it up, and slowly held it out for the calf to take.

"Here, I can tell you're hungry," he said. The bison eyed the peach lustfully. Aang could almost hear its stomach grumble. Silently, it regarded Aang and the peach, its focus switching back and forth between the two over and over again. It was weighing the risk versus his hunger. Behind it, more cries seemed to warn him against taking it, but to Aang, it seemed like the little calf in front of him didn't even hear them.

Finally, the calf started to ease out of the cave once more, hesitantly moving towards Aang. A few more painfully slow moments passed as it crossed the distance between them. When it came close enough to stretch out its neck and take the peach, it gazed up at Aang. Its dark-eyed, innocent, and terrified stare made Aang want to cry again. This tiny animal, more then likely only a month or two old judging by its size and considerably short fur, had experienced a great deal of fear and pain. It - and the obvious others living in the cave behind it - were scared and alone and hungry. He decided right then and there that he would do whatever it took to make them trust again. They were a remnant of his people, and just like the temple, they needed to be taken care of, and nursed back to health.

Just as the decision was made, the calf gave a satisfied little huff, and licked the peach right out of Aang's hand. Collectively, everyone behind him let out relieved sighs.

"There you go little buddy," Aang said affectionately as the calf started to nuzzle his hand, looking for more. "I'm a friend. I'm going to take care of you from now on." He gestured behind him. "Me and my friends are going to help you."

As if it were weighing Aang's words, it glanced behind Aang and saw Katara, Appa, and the acolytes standing there with uncertain, but welcoming smiles. It looked back to Aang for a moment, then let out an excited, high-pitched roar. Unabashedly, it bounded towards the others, jumping up on them, one by one, and licking their hands. When it came up to Appa, the elder bison bent low to the ground and sniffed his mini counterpart. When the calf licked the tip of Appa's nose, he responded by sweeping the calf up with his massive tongue.

Everyone laughed at the tiny creature's boisterous and shameless display. Eventually it made its way back to Aang who still knelt on the ground. It pounced right on top of the Avatar, licking at his face and letting out little excited noises as he went. Aang loved every second of it, not really bothering to push the calf off. It was like finding a long lost friend to him. It was perfect.

Eventually, it started to settle down. It hopped off Aang and turned back to the cave, as if it had expected to see the others there. It cried out to the others but was answered only by silence.

"They must still be cautious of us," Chen observed. "Our little friend must've been the bravest guy of the bunch."

"It's a girl," Aang chuckled, his attention still on the calf as it continued to call out. "Her name should be Rida. She's the leader."

"Because she was hungry enough to come out?" one of the acolytes asked, clearly not agreeing with Aang.

"If hunger were her only motivation, she would not have greeted us so eagerly," Aang reasoned. "She has what the other bison in this cave obviously do not."

"That is?" Katara asked.

With a small smile, he turned his head to her with the answer. "Curiosity."

Rida still stood at the mouth of the cave, jumping back and forth as if to show them that she was alright. After another moment of waiting for a response and getting nothing, she let out a frustrated and annoyed huff before sauntering back into the cave. After a few unseen and argumentative exchanges between Rida and the other calves, she came back out of the darkness. Pridefully, she held her head up high and walked back to Aang's side before turning to watch the cave entrance.

Slowly, the shapes of five more babies emerged from the dark, scared and uncertain looks on their faces. Rida impatiently coaxed them on and Aang decided to join her.

"Come on, guys," he said softly. "We won't bite." He held his palm out to them passively. When they were close enough, all of them sniffed at it. With slight disappointment in their eyes, they gazed back up at Aang. He laughed and said, "They were expecting me to have food." Turning to the others behind him, he said, "If you have hay or peaches, offer it to them. See if they like you better."

The others picked up some more food from the ground and held it out for the other calves. Aang and Rida happily watched as the calves went to the acolytes and ate right from their hands. The blissful moment went on for a long while until deeper roars sounded from the cave. Everyone looked up in shock as three more bison came out of the cave. These bison were slightly bigger, maybe a year or two old by Aang's observation.

"There are more," Katara whispered with a smile.

"We didn't know there were older bison in there," Chen said, petting the two calves that had come to him for peaches on the head.

"They wouldn't have made themselves known," Aang guessed. "If these little bison were scared, the older bison would be too. They were keeping quiet on purpose. If they had seen us as a threat, they would've attacked and caught us completely off guard."

The three approached Aang who remained sitting on the ground with Rida. They paused in front of him and peered into his eyes, as if they were searching for something. After a few nerve-racking seconds, the middle one let out a satisfied huff, but instead of the jubilant reaction of the younger bison, desperation replaced their caution. They started to tug on Aang's robes with their teeth, dragging him towards the cave.

"What are they doing?" Katara asked. He easily recognized the tinge of worry in her voice, having heard it so many times before. He only smiled back at her as he let the bison lead him into the cave.

"It's alright, Katara," he reassured. "It looks like they just want to show me something."

As Aang and the other three bison disappeared into the darkness, Katara felt that all-too-familiar panic begin to settle over her. "Aang?" she called into the cave. No answer. She tentatively stepped closer to the mouth of the cave and called his name once more. Her voice distinctively echoed deep into the darkness.

"I'm alright," finally came Aang's stressed reply. Her whole body sagged in relief. "Katara, I need you in here now."

"What is it?" she asked, hesitating to run into the cave.

"There are two more bison - adult bison," he responded. "They must've been attacked by something. They're hurt bad, I need you to get in here and heal them."

Without another word, she bounded into the cave. The darkness soon surrounded her, and for a moment she stopped and thought she might be lost. Just as she was about to call for Aang again, a flame burst into existence in front of her. Aang sat with a bright orange flame burning in the palm of his hand. Behind him sat the two largest creatures she had ever seen. Trumping even Appa in size, the two mature bison that lay breathing heavily on the cave floor raised their weary eyes to her in the light. The three bison that had led Aang were curled up at the side of the one that must have been their mother.

She hurried over and immediately saw the deep gash on the male bison's underbelly. When she reached out towards it, the bison let out a low, but threatening growl. As it shifted slightly so that it was less exposed, she turned to Aang.

"How am I supposed to heal him when he doesn't trust me?"

"I have an idea," he said softly. "When a bison was ever hurt or scared or expecting, the monk caretakers would hum this song that would calm them."

"Aang, that was over a hundred years ago," Katara said. "These bison haven't had help from any monks in generations."

Aang's eyes glistened with desperation. "Well, it's worth a try isn't it? We can't just let them die."

Not even thinking of denying the hope in his eyes, Katara stiffly nodded and turned her attention back to the bison. Softly, Aang began to hum the tune. The song was slow, but not sad. There was a tranquility in the melody that Katara had at first dismissed as her bias towards Aang himself. She realized, however, that there was a subtle familiarity in the tune. She could swear that she had heard it before, but couldn't think of how.

Regardless, the bison's distress was clearly dissipating as Aang continued to hum. Seeing her opening, Katara reached out to the wound and began to focus her energy towards healing it. She couldn't tell exactly how long it had been when it finally finished scaring over. Aang had repeated the song at least a dozen times, but other than her own growing fatigue, there was no sign that much time had passed at all. She took a breath and exchanged a quick appreciative glance with him before shifting her attention to the female.

Her wound stretched along her side, just above where the three other little ones were huddled together. When they saw her approach, they moved aside to grant her access to their suffering mother. Appraising the cut that spanned the entire length of the bison's enormous body, Katara took a deep breath and began. Once again, the cave was lit with a bright blue luminescence that combined with Aang's flickering orange flame adding additional serenity to the darkness.

After another short eternity, the gash was healed to the best of her ability. and the bison moaned in relief. Aang finished his tune with a soft final note and smiled warmly at Katara. More than a little exhausted, she slumped over with a soft chuckle.

"You know, for the Avatar, you sure do leave a lot of the tough stuff to your friends," she teased.

He scooted over to her and rubbed up and down her back with his free hand. He felt her relax beneath his touch. "Only the ones that'll still love me afterwards," he smiled back, giving her a grateful kiss on her head.

The bison behind them bellowed their thanks and nuzzled both Aang and Katara, almost sending them toppling over. Laughing, Aang and Katara stood, Aang catching her when she stumbled a bit as her head started to spin.

"I'm fine," she reassured, his playfulness disappearing as concern took its place. "I just need to rest a bit."

"Come on, let's get you to your room," Aang said as they walked towards the cave entrance. Behind them, the two enormous bison and the three calves began to follow. As they all emerged from the mountain face, they drew the attention of the acolytes and the six other calves who were still munching on hay and peaches. When the two largest bison came into sight, all of the others came bounding up to them, seemingly overjoyed at their parent's recovery. Meanwhile, the acolytes rushed over to Katara and Aang.

"Are you guys alright?" Chen asked, hurrying to Katara's other side and lifting her arm so that it rested on his shoulders. "You were in there a while, we were starting to worry."

"We're alright, Chen," Aang said. "Katara just had to preform the healing session of her life. Help me get her up on Appa, would you?"

Chen nodded. "Where the big bison hurt or something?"

"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Aang nodded as they walked over to Appa.

"From the look of the cuts, it seems like they were attacked with some kind of weapon," Katara managed to say through her dizziness. "The gashes weren't from claws or anything like that. Someone was hunting them."

When they reached Appa, Aang gently took Katara from Chen and scooped her into his arms.

With a small chuckle, she looked up at him and said, "You know, I could get used to you holding me like this."

"Anytime you want, love," he responded, half out of affection and half out of concern. He could tell just from her voice how exhausted she was. The sooner she was resting in her bed, the better.

In one swift, graceful leap, he flew through the air on to Appa's back with a half-aware Katara in his arms. He gently laid her down on the saddle and hopped over to Appa's head.

"Chen, I need to get her back to the temple to rest," Aang called down to his apprehensive student. "_You_ need to lead these bison up the mountain and away from these caves. I don't know what caused their wounds, but whoever they are, they probably aren't far from here."

Chen's eyes widened at the request. "But - but I don't know the first thing about sky bison," he stammered.

"Now we both know that isn't true," Aang responded with a smile. "You've memorized every scroll I could find on sky bison, including the ones I've written myself. You'll be fine." Before Chen could get out another word, Aang situated himself on Appa's head and shouted, "Yip yip!"

Leaping into the sky, Appa headed upwards to the temple, landing on the flat, intricately decorated platform just before the path that led to the dorms. As soon as he touched down, Aang leaped to Appa's back and gently lifted Katara back into his arms. Jumping down just as gracefully, he started off up the stairs.

"Seriously, you should do this more often," she mumbled, flashing her blue eyes up at him. "It's kind if romantic."

"So you nearly passing out while healing the future of all sky bison is romantic?" he laughed.

She made an attempt to slap his chest, but when she lifted her arm, she was suddenly overwhelmed by how heavy it was. Her hand barely brushed against the fabric of his sash before it slumped back to her in a pathetic heap. "Not what I meant," she mumbled through her dizziness.

Before she knew it, she heard the sound of a door open and close and Aang was lowering her down onto her bed. She wanted to protest when she felt his arms retreat from her, but all she could manage was a tiny, insignificant moan.

Unbeknownst to her, the small, defiant complaint made his heart flutter. The sight of her looking up at him from the bed, clearly wanting him to stay was exactly the kind of thing he'd been trying to avoid ever since their "conversation."

He cleared his throat - more to bring himself back to reality then anything else - and said, "You should get some rest. I'll be back to check on you after I go see how Chen's holding up, okay?" Getting only a mumble in response, he smiled, planted a kiss on his forehead, and then left before his mind could wander anymore.

Katara tried to lay as still as possible on her back, knowing the second she moved any muscle, her head would explode in pain again. The cool, autumn breeze coming in from the window she forgot to close in the morning was helping, but only a little. Remembering a calming trick she had learned from Aang, she started to systematically tense and relax each of her muscles, starting with her toes, working her way up to her face. Her headache returned, but only briefly, and once it was finally gone, she felt entirely at peace.

As she began drifting off to sleep, the air suddenly turned freezing and the wind outside burst into the room with a jarring ferocity. Her eyes snapped open at the disturbance, the loose sheets on her bed flapping around her. To her surprise, nothing stood in the room before her, but when the expected feeling of relief failed to come, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Something was with her here in the darkening room... and it was watching her.

The wind died down as quickly as it had arrived, leaving her trembling in the eerie silence. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for whatever was haunting her in the darkness. She could feel the water waiting in the pouch at her hip, though something told her it wouldn't do her much good here. A panic and barely audible cry for Aang escaped her lips, but there was no answer.

Just as she opened her mouth to try and call out again, she heard it in the dark - a whisper from across the room. Her breath caught at the voice that seemed to come from the very air around her. She turned to the door in alarm and a scream was lost in her throat when she saw two glowing blue orbs floating before her. The soft whisper once again rang in the room, now clearly originating from the orbs. The voice was louder, bolder, ringing with power and purpose and, most disturbingly… desire.

"Katara…"

"Katara?" came Aang's gentle voice from the other side of the door. He pushed it open slowly and the orbs that had been floating vanished into mist against the wooden entrance. As terrified eyes gazed upon him, his expression changed from gentle to concerned. "Katara, what is it?" he asked, swiftly hurrying to sit beside her on the bed. "What's wrong?"

When he placed his hands on her shoulders, she fell into him, her own arms wrapping around him, gripping the back of his shirt. He returned her embrace, tenderly stroking her hair and whispering soft comforts into her ear. He knew all too well what this was about, and he would be as comforting as he could, just like last night, and all the nights before.

This hadn't been the first time she had been shaken up like this. For the past few weeks, she had been waking up in the middle of the night after nightmares that left her drained, terrified, and physically trembling. Her sleep would be restless or some nights, it would be nonexistent. When she would scream, naturally he would come running from his room right across from hers. On other nights, she would come to him after waking in a cold sweat, her whole body shaking with terror and sleep by his side until morning.

In the beginning, he had thought she might be trying to mess with him after their "talk" about staying in separate rooms for the time being. Both of them had reluctantly decided that what they wanted most was to be married first, but that had not stopped either of them from teasing.

The way she had looked at him that first night however - the sheer fear that was in her eyes - convinced him otherwise. Such had been the way she always looked in the dead of the night for the past month and a half. It was always the same dream - a shrouded figure standing across a frozen lake in the middle of a blizzard, holding its hand out to her. It would call her name until she would hear it echoing in her head. It would order her to waterbend, and she obeyed, unleashing terrible power that she had never known she could do. She would wreak destruction upon the frozen lake, tearing ice to pieces, freezing tidal waves solid, demonstrating the gracefully lethal power she hadn't even realized she had within her.

But she would always make one mistake. A slip in her form, a twitch in her finger, and suddenly, she would lose control of her body. The figure would grab hold of the very blood in her veins and dangle her over the lake. Then, it would speak to her once more, it's voice always ringing with the strange combination of disappointment and lust that made her skin crawl. Every night, it would say something different in that terrifying moment, sometimes speaking of her beauty or her power or her failure.

The end of the dream, however, was always the same. The figure's eyes would flash bright blue as it plunged her into the freezing cold lake, keeping her body enthralled until she ran out of air and drowned.

The more it happened, the more Aang became convinced some kind of spirit was trying to contact her. His instincts were proved to be right when he attempted a journey into the spirit world to find what was haunting her. The attempt failed, but it at least gave him one answer. What bothered him most was that he couldn't think of anything Katara might have done to upset the spirits at all. If anything, after all she had been through with Aang, she had been nothing but aware of the world around her and the connection between the real and spirit worlds.

Beyond that, Aang had never known a spirit to be so focused on one person. They usually unleash their wrath on any who are unfortunate enough to be around when they decide to go on a rampage. The spirit in Katara's dream had a specific interest in her, however, and the interest seemed to go a bit further then just curiosity.

"The dream again?" he asked softly.

"No," she said, sitting up to look in his eyes. "It was real, Aang. It was here in the room with me this time."

His eyes widened. "It was?"

"It's getting stronger," she said, her voice analytical, but still trembling. "I don't know how, and I don't know what it wants from me, but it was so close to me I could've walked right over to it."

"It was actually in the room with you?"

"There were two glowing blue eyes by the door," she explained, wide-eyed. "Just like from the dream before it ends. The bright blue eyes…"

"I don't understand. Why is this happening? You haven't done anything wrong."

"It's scary, Aang," she said, falling back into him. She felt his arms wrap around her immediately. "I don't know what this thing is, but it's like it has some kind of power over me. In the dreams, it tells me to waterbend and… I just do it. I don't argue or even fight back. It's like I _want_ to obey him. I don't feel like myself in the dreams, like I'm a prisoner in my own body."

"Katara, it's alright - "

"What if it comes again? And what if it makes me feel like that again? I won't be able to help myself. I could hurt someone. I could hurt you."

The fear in her eyes as she turned away from him made him angrier then he had been a very long time. This spirit was hurting her, not in a physical way, but in a way that was much worse. Katara felt completely helpless. The most powerful waterbender in the world… was defenseless.

"Let me try to talk to it again."

Katara's head snapped back to him. "Aang, you remember what happened last time you tried."

"I can't just sit here and let this thing torture you like this," he said, gripping her shoulders. "I'm not going to sit by and do nothing."

"It almost killed you," she responded.

And it had. Not two minutes had passed since he had crossed into the spirit world before he was violently shoved back out by what was no doubt the same dark figure from Katara's nightmares. It began shouting aggressive obscenities at him before warning him to "stay out of affairs that did not concern him." Aang rocketed back into his body with such force, he nearly had a heart attack. They both agreed that they wouldn't try that one again. Until now.

"But Katara - "

"Aang no."

"I'm worried about you, love," he started with pleading eyes. "You barely sleep, you're always exhausted, you hardly even practice waterbending anymore. You're so scared of this thing and you aren't letting me help you."

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said right back. "This... thing... I don't know how I know, but it's hostile towards you. It doesn't like you."

"Wonder what gave you _that_ impression," he said sarcastically.

"It was a feeling I got from my dreams," she said with a deadpan tone, unamused. "I don't always remember what it says, but sometimes it talks about you and I remember being scared for you." Her hand reached up to his face and his eyes softened at the contact. "I can't let it hurt you too. I need to protect you."

"And I need to protect _you_," he responded just as tenderly, grabbing her hand. "If you hurt, I hurt. I can't lose you, Katara, not ever, and certainly not to a spirit who's got some grudge against me."

"Please, Aang, don't go back into the spirit world to look for it. If anything, it'll show its face again soon," she said in an attempt to dissuade him. It didn't work.

"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" he laughed. "I don't _want_ it to come back. It coming back just means it's going to come after you."

"Actually," Katara started, "it only came when you were gone." She looked up at Aang with hopeful eyes. "And I never have the nightmares when we're together."

He caught on to the idea immediately. "You want me to stay with you from now on, don't you?" She looked up at him from under her eyelashes and batted them at him. Aang's facade of chagrin couldn't hold and he broke out into a small grin. "I guess that's not so bad."

"So you'll stay with me tonight?"

Happy with the change of mood and pacified for now, Aang smiled softly and fell backwards onto the pillow. Katara joined him, holding on to him a little tighter then normal. He knew she didn't want to talk about it anymore, but the way this thing was affecting her made him truly scared about the future. If this spirit was now bold enough to show itself, even in a small form, Aang knew it would only get worse. He knew he needed to find a way to stop this thing from growing stronger, and as he listened to the thudding beat of her heart next to his, he swore that he would not rest until he did.

"You'll always be here, won't you," Katara said with a small smile, happily resting her head on his chest. She said it as an observation, not a question, and Aang was elated at her trust. She focused on anything she could; his heartbeat, his breathing, his warmth to turn her mind from her nightmares. Unsurprisingly, she found that it worked quite well.

"Always, Katara," he responded. A silence fell over them as the moments passed, the both of them working towards the calm they both sought. At last when the darkness of the room seemed to finally loose its malice, Aang broke the silence.

"I know it doesn't change anything in terms of where we are physically, but I already consider you to be my wife." Normally, he would have blushed beat red after making such a bold profession, but he knew better now. As expected, Katara didn't shy away from him or stiffen in apprehension. She sighed blissfuly, her fear nearly forgotten in hearing the confession of his devotion. If it was possible to get closer to him in that moment, she did so, letting herself soak up the sensation of their bodies pressed together, enjoying every moment of it.

"I already think of you as my husband," she replied. "We were meant to be together Aang."

"I think that might be an understatement," he laughed, rubbing his hand up and down her back, loving the small, involuntary movements she made to adjust to the sensation. "Everything I do feels like second nature when it comes to you. It all feels… natural."

Katara lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest to look at him. "Would you think it's weird if I told you I feel the same?" she asked, not entirely joking.

"Not at all. Nothing you say is weird."

"Not even the whole 'spirit is after me' thing?" she laughed.

"Well _that_ is weird, but that doesn't mean you're weird. I mean, I AM the Avatar. Weird spirit stuff is right up my alley," he finished with a wink.

"I'm not sure what it is, but I feel like I've done this before," Katara said thoughtfully.

"Done what?"

"Loved you. It feels so natural, it's almost familiar, like I've done everything with you before. I know everything about you. I know what you're thinking just by looking at you, I know what to say to make you smile or blush or laugh." When he smiled, she lowered her gaze to his lips with playful desire. "I know exactly where to touch you or kiss you to drive you crazy."

Aang smiled devilishly as he picked up on her line of sight. "And here I thought you wanted me here to keep the nightmares away," he said, moving his hand to stroke her cheek. "Turns out you only want me here for my body."

She laughed and moved up to kiss him, but the moment their lips touched, all hint of playfulness had disappeared. Hunger and need replaced their teasing and the kiss deepened. Aang's hand shot into Katara's hair and tangled at the base of her neck. She gripped the fabric of his shirt when she felt his tongue along her lips, begging entry. She let him in, their lips and tongues clashing in the midst of their heated embrace.

Aang's other hand started to move down to her hip, feeling around for the edge of her shirt. He wanted nothing more in that moment to feel her hot flesh beneath the palm of his hand, but when his fingertips grazed her skin, they both froze. They broke away, panting and misty-eyed.

"We should stop shouldn't we?" Katara whispered, searching his eyes, desperately searching for a "No."

But Aang nodded in response, shutting his eyes, hoping to banish the desire lurking in them, threatening to give him away. "We should," he responded.

She sighed and dropped her head back to his chest. "Can't we skip to the part where we're married already?" she sighed.

"We could pretend."

"Or you could propose."

Aang's eyes shot open. "Well… I, um, was thinking about… when I should…"

She lifted her head to him again, this time with surprise in her eyes. "You were?" she asked.

"Well… I mean, I AM sixteen now after all," he said quietly. "That's considered to be a man in most parts of the world… and you're already eighteen, so I don't see why we can't…."

Katara's smile was soft as she reached up to caress his face. "Aang, I was only joking," she replied gently. "I didn't mean to pressure you or anything. You propose when you think we're ready, okay? I'm certainly not going anywhere."

His responding smile was so thankful and loving, she nearly let out a burst of delighted laughter. "You're wonderful, you know that?" he replied.

"Only for certain Avatars," she laughed before kissing him again, this time, both of them content with just that.

They laid like that for a few minutes in comfortable silence. She happily let herself doze to the sound of his heartbeat and quiet breathing. He absently grazed his hand back and forth across the back of her neck, smiling every time she sighed in contentment.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" he asked quietly, breaking her from her light nap.

"Yeah I'm ready," she responded. "I pack light, thanks to you. Chen's going to do great. Speaking of which, how'd he do with the bison?"

"Great," he replied with enthusiasm. "He and the other acolytes had already led them up the mountain. The mother - Sosu, they're calling her - even let Chen on her back, and he guided her and the family, up to the old caretaker's courtyard. They'll stay there until we find whatever was hunting them."

"Did Appa go to stay with them?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I think he's even more excited to see the bison then I am."

"Well, they are the future of his race."

"Did you notice all the differences between them and Appa?"

"All I could tell were the ears and the arrows. Am I missing anything else?"

He smiled down at her appraisingly. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

"I love you too," she chuckled. "So many big things are happening. First we find the bison, then we have the summit we leave for in the morning, and then the wedding…"

"Which I'm still nervous about, by the way."

Katara looked up at him. "Nervous?" she asked, moving her hand to play with the stubble on his chin. "Are you nervous because you're starting to look homeless?"

"No," he laughed. "I'm nervous because I'm the Fire Lord's best man. I have to toast and everything in front of nobles and people who could talk about me behind my back and stuff…"

"Avatar Aang, the most powerful being in the world, is terrified of public speaking," she teased. "What would Toph say if she found out?"

"She'd probably punch me."

"She punches you when you do something she likes, Aang."

"Exactly, which means it'll hurt ten times more."

She laughed, remembering all the times she had been punched herself, and then remembering how much she missed her dear friend. "I can't wait to see her again."

"I can't either. Though, I'm a little worried about Sokka," Aang said. "We haven't heard from him since it happened."

"I'M the one who holds grudges," Katara laughed. "He's always been more forgiving then me. Besides, it's not like he and Suki had a bad breakup or anything. They just… weren't meant for long distance."

"What do you mean?"

"They both had different responsibilities is all," she said simply. "Sokka had a duty to our tribe and the Republic, she had a duty to protect Zuko. They never had any time for each other. It wasn't either of their faults, it just happened."

Aang looked away anxiously. "Well… what's gonna happen with us?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, gazing up at him.

"I'm the Avatar. I have a responsibly to the world." He sat up and turned away from her, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Eventually, I'll have to go places and you won't be able to come along sometimes. I'll have to leave you, for months at a time."

"What are you saying?" she asked, slightly offended. "I can't come with you? Aren't we a team?"

He turned back to her, immediately trying to placate her. "Of course we are, love. I'm talking about when you physically can't." He took her hand, and when she didn't pull away, he felt confident enough to continue. "You and I talk about it all the time; getting married, starting a family, being together. What about when you're pregnant, or when our kids need you with them? Do you want to take them along and put them in danger too?"

"Aang, I - "

"Katara, you know I won't leave your side unless the whole countryside is burning down, but I'll have to be away some of the time." He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the question. "I guess what I'm trying to ask you is… are we… you know, made for long distance?"

One gaze into his eyes was all it took for her to understand. He was afraid of losing her, afraid of the two of them falling apart like her brother and Suki had. The fact that he had been dwelling on the same thing she had just earlier that night was all the evidence she needed to lay his fears to rest.

"Aang," she started, letting her love for him shine through her eyes, "I knew what I was getting myself into when I kissed you that day in Ba Sing Se. I knew that loving you could mean being away from you every once in a while, when you had to go off and something would keep me from following." When he lowered his gaze, she reached out and held his face gently, bringing him back to her. "I also knew, without a doubt, that you being off, saving the world was NOT a good enough reason to give up my best friend. If anything it makes me love you more, and it makes me think of how wonderful it will be to see you again after so long.

"You and I, Aang, we aren't my brother and Suki. I know it's weird when we're apart for even a little while, but now that we're talking about it out loud, it seems so silly to think that a few months every now and then is going to ruin years of love and laughs and memories. There's no way something like a little separation is going to hurt us. We've faced everything the Universe could throw at us and we're only stronger for it."

Aang took her hands from his face and smiled warmly. "Think so?"

"Absolutely," she laughed. "We're amazing Aang. We're so much different, so much stronger then what I thought being in love would be. We can do anything. I don't want to say that we're meant for long distance - that just sounds like we need to be apart - but I WILL say that we're meant to love each other no matter what."

Aang happily embraced her once more and they fell back down onto the pillows laughing. Katara was right, he was being silly. Nothing had ever been too much for the two of them to handle. They always found a way through.

"Wanna sleep?" Katara said as they lay facing each other.

"Only with you," he replied with a soft kiss on her cheek. As he pulled her in closer to him, she started to giggle slightly. "What's so funny?"

"Just thinking about Zuko and Suki," she replied. "Former bodyguard turned lover. Sounds like a bad romance play."

"I'll be sure to tell him that you feel that way about his future wife," Aang teased. "Still, it's kinda funny to think that if it wasn't for our little gang, the two of them never would have met."

"Now that Sokka's free, maybe he'll notice the other gang member who just so happens to be perfect for him."

"Are we talking about the same Sokka here?"

"Good point."

"Good night, Katara."

"Good night, Aang."

**A/N: I know, I know. It was just a vibe I've been getting from reading the comics. It may happen, it may not. Regardless, this story from this point on, officially ships Zuki. Or Suko. Or whatever tickles your fancy. By the time The Rift comes out, I have no doubt this will be considered AU anyway. If you're not hating me right now, I hope you enjoyed. Leave a review and such and critiques are always welcome. See you next chapter.**

** - - Scribe**


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